


Dance With Me (it drowns out the nightmares)

by the_sun_will_rise_again



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Tower, Bucky Barnes Has Nightmares, F/M, I don't actually ship Staron I just need someone for Steve to be with
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-21 15:48:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14288244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_sun_will_rise_again/pseuds/the_sun_will_rise_again
Summary: But something was different. An unresolved feeling sat between them, begging to be brought to light, even if neither of them realized it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fanfiction, so please be nice! I don't know where this is gonna go yet, but if anyone has suggestions or ideas that I can incorporate let me know and you just might see them appear in the story somewhere.  
> Also ***DISCLAIMER*** I do not own any of the characters in this story, all characters belong to their respective owners.

Crash! Bucky Barnes bolted upright in a cold sweat. The glass lamp fixture that had been on the nightstand beside him was shattered, and the tiny glass pieces were scattered across the floor. 'This has got to stop' he thought. The nightmares that haunted him since his memory started coming back had been relentless the last couple of weeks, and he had been seriously suffering from sleep-loss. Bucky always felt bad to make a big deal about his nightmares to the other team members, even Steve. He didn’t want to remind the others of his messy past. So instead, he pulled on a t-shirt and took the stairs down to the gym, hoping to let out the pent-up guilt and forget his past for even a moment with some solid hits to a punching bag.

000

When Bucky reached the gym several minutes later he found that it was not empty. Natasha was there already, not training, but dancing to a classic Russian song. Years of classical ballet training showed in her graceful movements as she moved across the floor in perfect harmony with the song. Natasha dancing was a rare occurrence, and it was an unspoken rule in the compound to leave her alone to her release or face the wrath of the Black Widow. Bucky stopped. He stood still at the door, weighing his options. 'I should probably just leave her alone..' he thought, with half a mind to turn around and run back up the stairs. But, the music and the dance were both familiar, and, his feet pulled to join her of their own accord.

'What is he doing?' Natasha thought to herself. She had heard the door open, and had seen Bucky out of the corner of her eye, but had not stopped dancing, as she expected him to go away. Suddenly, she felt his warm breath on her neck and his hand on her waist. To her surprise, he began to move with her, and together they began to dance. They began slowly as if testing the waters of each other's skill and strength, but soon picked up the pace as trust in the ability of the other grew. The movements were not choreographed, and yet they both knew what move was next. Gracefully spinning, his strong arms lifting her effortlessly off the ground, never with any hesitation. They moved across the practice mat as though one mind was controlling both their movements. Neither Natasha nor Bucky really thought about what they were doing in the moment. Neither thought about other problems or remembered the previous day's grievances. They were aware solely of each other. Bucky dipped Natasha down in one arm, and then the music ended. Their faces were inches apart, eyes closed, sweat dripping from foreheads and hair.

Natasha took a sharp intake of breath, breaking the moment and prompting Bucky to set her upright again. He did. Hesitantly. She walked to the edge of the mat and gathered her things. And then she left him. Standing on the mat, eyes still closed, refusing to leave the moment.

Later, as Bucky walked back up to his room, and then down to the common room couch (he decided to switch up the sleeping environment for the remainder of the night) he wondered if what had happened in the gym would change things between him and Nat. They had been close friends almost from the very beginning since Bucky had moved into the tower. Their similar backstory and personal history had given them an instant connection on which to build a friendship. But Bucky had never seen Natasha as anything more than just that: a friend. He wondered if things would change. And he wondered if he would like it it did.

000

And something was different after that night. They still laughed along with the other team members at Sam’s stupid jokes, they still played practical pranks on Steve and Sharon together, and they still spoke Russian in front of the others to make them mad. But something – however small – had shifted. There seemed a hesitation in what would previously have been a friendly hug, a hesitation to sit next to each other at breakfast, or when movie night came around, or to be alone together at all. An unresolved feeling sat between them, begging to be brought to light, even if neither of them realized it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nat confides in Wanda, Wanda gives Nat some advice.

For the next several weeks after the event in the gym, Nat and Bucky actively avoided being alone together. As long as others were present it was fine but when it was just the two of them it seemed to change the very atmosphere of the room from comfortable and lighthearted to awkward and uncomfortable. Sam, Sharon, Vision, and the others all seemed oblivious to the new tension between Nat and Bucky, and only Steve and Wanda sensed the sudden change.

000

“Wow, you’ve really improved in your time here!” Natasha said to Wanda, wiping her sweaty forehead with a towel. The two of them had been sparring together - skill only, no powers - and after a good half hour of exchanging pulled punches and kicks it had ended with Natasha landing hard on her back with a foam knife at her throat.

“You really think so?” Wanda drained her water bottle and joined Natasha on the bench. “You’re still a challenge for me ya know.”  
Natasha laughed. “You still don’t see how skilled you are, do you? You just knocked over _the_ Black Widow, pride and joy of the Red Room, and one of the most famed assassins in the world!” Her voice took on a mocking tone as she said it.

“Most famed assassin huh? What about Barnes over there, I think his kill count is far over yours.” Wanda smirked and gestured toward Bucky, who was on the others side of the gym training with Steve.

“Hey, don’t talk about Bucky like that Wanda. You know it wasn’t him, not really, and besides, he takes too much credit for all that himself without you giving it to him.”

“Defending him now huh?” Wanda seemed taken aback.

“Yes. That’s what friends do.” Natasha felt herself turning a shade of pink, and she quickly turned and started digging through her duffle bag looking for a water bottle.

“Just friends? Are you sure about that?” Natasha started chugging her water. Wanda leaned in a little closer.  
“Something is different Nat.” She lowered her tone so the others in the gym wouldn’t hear. “Just in the last couple weeks. Something has changed. You guys seem… I don’t know, more... distant. Is everything ok with you two?” Her eyebrows were furrowed in genuine concern.

“I… I think so. I guess. I mean… I hope everything is still okay.” Natasha stuttered. “The other week… we were in the gym together…” Her sentence trailed off and she looked at her feet.

“Hey, what happened? He didn't hurt you did he?”

“NO." The word came out stronger than she intended. Natasha lowered her voice again. "No, Wanda, he didn't hurt me. It was late, and I couldn’t sleep, so I went down to the gym and was doing some dancing, old routine ballet from the Red Room… to... let stuff out.” Nat started fidgeting with her fingers. “Anyway, I guess he was having nightmares again or something, he came down to the gym... he didn't know I was there, but... and… and… we danced.” Wanda’s mouth dropped open.

“You let him do that?”

“Yes? He and I… it was so natural… we didn’t have to say anything, we just both knew what to do. And then the music ended…” Natasha’s normally controlled and decisive nature seemed lost. “I left him there. I went back up to my room, but it just seemed – seems – so strange to just act like it never happened.”

“Wait, whoa, whoa, let me catch up, he has nightmares? Bucky? How did you even know that?” Wanda was shocked. “Hold on let me get this straight – Bucky Barnes, aka _the_ Winter Soldier has nightmares? And you guys danced? Oh my - You never let anyone even _watch_ you dance let alone dance with you!”

“Woah, woah, woah, Wanda. WANDA.” Natasha grabbed Wanda by the shoulders. “Slow down. I know he has nightmares because we are friends Wanda,” she emphasized the word friends as if trying to convince herself. “Or at least we were - I mean we are - I mean, whatever. Anyway, we danced, it happened, get over it, help me figure out what I should do now.”

“Alright, calm down, sheesh!” Wanda laughed. “So, you danced. How exactly did this change your relationship?”

“Well, you know before we were good friends, just friends, that was it. But now there is this weird feeling between us like… well, - I don’t know what it is, why do you think I’m asking you?” This sent Wanda off laughing again. “What? What’s so funny?”

“You have no idea do you.” Nat shook her head and the sincere ignorance on her face further fueled Wanda’s laughter. “Everyone in the compound is making bets on how long until you guys get together! I cannot believe you haven’t caught on.”

“WHAT.” Natasha was dumbfounded. “You mean you guys think… Bucky and I are… together? But we are two completely different people, it would never work out…” Nat’s sentence trailed off.

“Really? Are you saying that because it’s true, or because you actually do want it to work out, but you’re scared that it won’t and then things will never be the same again.” Natasha propped her elbow on her knees and looked at the floor. Wanda smiled sympathetically. “Hey, my advice is, go for it. Obviously, something has already changed between you two, and you might as well try it out.” She gave Nat an encouraging pat on the back, stood up, and left the gym. Natasha sat on the bench, thinking about what Wanda had said. Her and Bucky, together? As a couple? The thought was strange and exhilarating and, now that she thought about it, not altogether new. 'Give it a try huh?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this might feel a bit like a filler chapter but I really do want to build the Bucky/Nat relationship slowly and realistically. Let me know what you think of this chapter!


End file.
